Mama Told Me Not To Come
Tom Jones Lyrics


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Want some whiskey in your water?
Sugar in your tea?
What's all these crazy questions they're askin' me?
This is the craziest party that could ever be
Don't turn on the lights 'cause I don't want to see

Mama told me not to come
Mama told me not to come
She said "That ain't the way to have fun, son"
"That ain't the way to have fun, son"

Open up the window, let some air into this room
I think momma's chocking from the smell of stale perfume
And the cigarette you're smoking about to scare me half to death
Open up the window, let me catch my breath

Mama told me not to come
Mama told me not to come
She said "That ain't the way to have fun, son"
"That ain't the way to have fun, son, son, son"

Some radio is blastin'
Someone's knockin' at the door
I'm lookin' at my girlfriend
She just passed out on the floor
I've seen so many things
I ain't never seen before
Don't know what it is
I don't want to see no more

Mama told me not to come
Mama told me not to come (Mama told me)
She said "That ain't the way to have fun, no" (no, no)
"That ain't the way to have fun, son"

Mama told me, mama told me
Mana told me, mama told me
Mama told me not to come (Mama told me not to come)
"That ain't the way to have fun, son"
"That ain't the way to have fun, son"
"That ain't the way to have fun, no, son"
"That ain't the way to have fun, son" (Mama told me)

Mama told me, mama told me
Mama told me, mama told me
Mama told me not to come (Mama told me not to come)
"That ain't the way to have fun, son"




"That ain't the way to have fun, son"
"That ain't the way to have fun" (oh no, no)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Tom Jones's song "Mama Told Me Not To Come" depict a wild party scene where the singer is being bombarded with questions and the atmosphere is suffocating, with no fresh air to breathe. The opening lines of the song, "Want some whiskey in your water? Sugar in your tea? What's all these crazy questions they're askin' me?" suggest that the party-goers are mixing drinks in unconventional ways and are perhaps under the influence of some illicit substances. This is reinforced by the line, "I've seen so many things I ain't never seen before," which implies that the singer is witnessing some strange and possibly disturbing behavior.


Throughout the song, the singer's mother's warning not to attend the party is echoed in the chorus, with the refrain "Mama told me not to come" repeated multiple times. The mother's words are a cautionary tale against the dangers of hedonistic behavior and implying that there are better ways to have fun.


The final lines of the song, "That ain't the way to have fun, no, son/ That ain't the way to have fun, son," drive home the message that the singer's mother is trying to convey. The song serves as a commentary on the excesses of the party culture that became prevalent in the 1960s and 1970s, and the disconnect between the expectations of the older generation and the youthful rebellion of the younger generation.


Line by Line Meaning

Want some whiskey in your water?
Do you want to mix whiskey with water, as a way to drink together?


Sugar in your tea?
Do you want to add sugar to your tea, even though it's not the usual way to drink it?


What's all these crazy questions they're askin' me?
Why are they asking me all these nonsensical questions, that have nothing to do with anything?


This is the craziest party that could ever be
This party is the most bizarre and insane event that could possibly exist.


Don't turn on the lights 'cause I don't want to see
I don't want to see what's going on in this party, so please don't turn on the lights.


Mama told me not to come
My mother warned me not to attend this party.


She said "That ain't the way to have fun, son"
She explained that this is not a proper or enjoyable way to have a good time.


"That ain't the way to have fun, son, son, son"
She reiterated that this is not an enjoyable way to have a good time, using repetition to emphasize her point.


Open up the window, let some air into this room
Please open the window to let fresh air inside, as the room is stuffy and unpleasant.


I think momma's chocking from the smell of stale perfume
I believe my mother is struggling to breathe due to the overwhelming stench of old perfume.


And the cigarette you're smoking about to scare me half to death
Your cigarette is making me extremely nervous and worried.


Open up the window, let me catch my breath
Please open the window so I can take a deep breath and calm down.


Some radio is blastin', Someone's knockin' at the door
The radio is playing loudly, and someone is banging on the door.


I'm lookin' at my girlfriend, She just passed out on the floor
I am staring at my girlfriend who has just fainted on the ground.


I've seen so many things, I ain't never seen before
I've witnessed countless strange and unexpected events that I've never experienced before.


Don't know what it is, I don't want to see no more
I don't know what's going on, but I don't want to observe any more of this strange activity.


Mama told me, mama told me
My mother warned me repeatedly.


Mana told me, mama told me
My mother told me time and time again.


Mama told me not to come (Mama told me not to come)
My mother advised me against attending this party.


"That ain't the way to have fun, son" ("That ain't the way to have fun, no, no")
She made it clear that this is not a proper way to have a good time.


"That ain't the way to have fun, son" ("That ain't the way to have fun, son")
She reiterated that this is not an acceptable or enjoyable way to have a good time.


"That ain't the way to have fun" ("oh no, no")
This is not the proper or enjoyable way to have a good time.




Lyrics ยฉ BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RANDY NEWMAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@AC-ih7jc

Say what you want about Tom Jones, but ANY pop singer who still has their pipes without any gravel or rasp into their mid-70's MUST be doing something right!

@markbishop5520

And he still looks good.

@AC-ih7jc

@@isabellind1292
Q: Why do I preface my compliment with what others may think?

A: Because acknowledging the existence of others' opinions (regardless how much I might disagree with them) only lends credence to my own. ๐Ÿ˜‰

The Welsh Wizard rocks! ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ

@philpants44

Wat lol ๐Ÿ˜‚

@clconley1

He is a god among men. I saw him at the Arena Theater in the early 90s in Houston. WOW.

@libbyprill

Fine wine... He just gets sexier with age!

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@clconley1

Tom Jones. What a set of pipes.

@OllyMursofficial11

Thank you for being such an amazing fan of my music, who has never stopped loving and appreciating me. ๐ŸŒน

@Maerahn

I love how Kelly Jones is just beaming throughout, like all of his Christmases have come at once, because he's getting to sing with the legend that is Tom Jones.

@markbishop5520

It's almost hero worship. I was not familiar with the Stereophonics. But he sure is cute with that gapped tooth smile.

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